Getting the house renovated is a pain as well as a joy....the joy of selecting the right color for the wall, the right tiles, right curtains...the joy one feels, seeing the imagination take life is amazing...u see one standing opposite the creation as if saying....did i feel it will look so good when i was selecting...i should be interior designing...what am i doing, wasting my time doing 9-5 job....if one always thinking in terms of ROI, that person will say...i got all this done in XX Rs can you believe it...i knew exactly where to get what and my bargaining skills are amazing...i could make the mistry do this work for me in just in peanuts...i should be in consulting. For some days, the talks would be just concentrated on talking on the work undertaken, the pains went through and the masterpiece created. Since most people they talk to have undergone the same phenomenon, they are empathetic and give it a proper hearing...
No one can undermine the chaos that exists while the entire thing is happening...you requirements are reduced to bare minimum...oh i just need a bed to sleep..does not matter if the bed sheet is clean or not....just need water to wash my face....need a loo...that's it.......that explains why people push for doing all these before a major festival or a celebration in the family. Billoo ki jab shaadi hogi, tab safedi karwaani hai. That's why one gets to hear remarks like...Lalitha Ji koi khush khabari, jo aap ghar mein kaam karwa rahe ho...bahu aane waali hai kya :D. That's why people don't get it...when u say you are getting it done just like that.
The contractor needs to be really good at PR, if he wants to ensure he can make the people get even their 'wish list' done in addition to the 'must have' list or elevate them to thinking at a higher level(higher should not be spiritual..else its all doomed). You need to become part of their family, and make them feel, you are thinking about their good and you have never felt so much at home at anyone else house..that's why the Mrs Bhatia becomes "mummyji" and Mr Bhatia "pappaji"...hence u r getting things done as a son..the aunty also gets carried away by saying "tum to mere bete jaise ho"...viola what started as a minor repair ended up being an entire redo of the bathroom...bhenji aap yeh bhi badla lo...phir aapka bathroom ek dum chakachak ho jayega.
On top of all these, there needs to be lines saying, bhaiya or bhenji aap bahut simple hai, jaroorat ki cheezo ko chod ke aap ne kuch nahin karwaaya, warna log lage rehte hai ghar ko tajmahal banane mein.
Its strange that every time renovation happens we forget the earlier lessons learnt and the same story is repeated.
Inspite all these, feel renovations are good for two reasons, the same house seems different with few changes and one learns to appreciate small things again....a big bucket of warm water in winter, bed to sleep, mom's food, floor you can walk on bare foot...
